Aerial photos taken on 5/11/2020 show wastewater on neighboring properties outside the Triple PG mine in Porter are higher than in the mine’s settling pond. If heavy rains materialize this weekend as predicted, that wastewater could be flushed downstream into the drinking water for 2 million people.
Mine Has History of Dumping and Pumping
Earlier this year, I photographed the mine pumping wastewater from its settling pond toward the neighboring properties. A TCEQ investigation confirmed that wastewater had exited the mine for the fourth time in a year. Investigators found that the wastewater had levels of suspended solids 676% higher than water from nearby White Oak Creek. But they also found that elevation differences had confined the wastewater and kept it from entering the wetlands near White Oak Creek.
Heavy Rains, Flash Flooding Could Flush Water Downstream
However, heavy rains predicted for later today and Saturday could change that. Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control meteorologist says rainfall rates of 1-3 inches per hour will be possible and there is a slight (10-20%) risk of flash flooding, both days. Isolated totals could reach 6 inches on Saturday, he predicts.
How High Is Water On Neighboring Properties
So how high is the water outside the mine compared to inside?
In the photo below, note the two sets of arrows on either side of the road. The strip of trees under the upper right arrow does not belong to the mine. However, the land under the lower right arrow does belong to the mine. I included the second set of arrows because they are closer to the camera and that makes it easier to see the elevation difference in the water. Notice how much higher the water is on the right than on the left relative to the road.
Looking south at Triple PG mine in Porter. Photo taken 5/11/2020.Looking east over flooded properties (inside tree-line) that neighbor mine.Photo taken 5/11/2020.Terms of a temporary injunction restrict the mine from using its dredge. So the mine has started dry (or semi-dry) excavation. That meant removing wastewater from this pit.Photo taken 5/11/2020.
On January 20, 2020, I photographed the mine pumping water out of its settling pond toward adjoining properties. See below. The pit above can be seen in the upper left of the photo below.
See the pipe cutting diagonally from the middle of the frame to the lower right. Also note, the pond in the upper left of this image corresponds to the pond in the foreground of the image below.Note water level on January 20, 2020By February 13, three weeks later, that pond was largely empty. It is common for mines to pump water from one pond to another.But illegal to pump water outside the mine.
Why Mines Should Not Flaunt Rules
If approaching storms flush sediment- and chloride-laden wastewater downstream, it will end up in the San Jacinto East Fork and Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
This underscores the need for the state legislature to pass laws that move mines out of the floodway. The Triple PG mine actually sits at the confluence of two floodways. That makes it vulnerable and dangerous…especially when an operator apparently flaunts rules designed to protect the safety of the public.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/15/2020
990 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 239 since Imelda
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200511-RJR_2662.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2020-05-15 09:49:002020-05-15 11:02:10As Heavy Rains Approach, Triple PG Wastewater Higher on Neighboring Properties Than In Its Settling Pond
Aerial photos taken Monday this week (5/11/2020) show that Perry Homes’ contractors appear to be partially blocking drainage that serves dozens of homes on the western side of Woodridge Village in Porter. With heavy rain expected this weekend, residents like Gretchen Dunlap Smith are nervous.
Homes Flooded Twice Last Year by Water that Could Not Get Out of Neighborhood
Many of those homes flooded twice last year, in May and September, just as homes in Elm Grove did.
Looking south toward Kingwood along the western edge of Woodridge Village in Montgomery County.
The issue with these homes, however, was that water could not get out of the neighborhood because of altered drainage.
Water drains to the east (left) into the drainage ditch along the perimeter of Woodridge, and then south toward the top of the photo to Taylor Gully.
This enlargement, cropped from the photo above, shows how the perimeter road is pushing into the drainage ditch for homes in the older Adams Oaks subdivision to the right.
Hovering over Flower Ridge in Porter and looking southeast. Note how workers have pushed past Perry’s own silt fence (upper right) that marked the old edge of the ditch and how dirt from construction is now collapsing into the ditch.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County meteorologist said this afternoon, “Expect a line or complex of slow-moving thunderstorms to move across SE TX Saturday starting out west in the morning and spreading across the area throughout the day. There will be a low severe threat with this activity, but the main threat will be heavy rainfall.
As of Thursday, NOAA and the National Weather Service predict heavy rains and possible flash flooding across all of SE Texas.
That gives contractors one day, Friday, to clean out that ditch to avoid another possible flood and more possible lawsuits.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2020
989 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 238 since Imelda
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/20200511-RJR_2893.jpg?fit=1200%2C1036&ssl=110361200adminadmin2020-05-14 21:14:322020-05-14 21:14:44Perry Contractors Encroaching on Porter Drainage Ditch West of Woodridge Village
Houston After Harvey: Stories from Inside the Hurricane is an encyclopedic, almost kaleidoscopic collection of interviews with flood victims about their Hurricane Harvey experiences. The new Amazon eBook by two Houston authors, Jacqueline Havelka and Jill Bullard Almaguer, has a “you are there” quality to it. The interviews fall into roughly three categories: before, during and after the storm.
WhataBurger in Kingwood’s new HEB shopping center during flooding from Hurricane Harvey.
Story of a Natural Disaster Told Through Victims’ Eyes
They recount the stories of people watching in terror as water crept inexorably toward their homes and businesses, praying it would not reach their front doors. They speak of the chaos of emergency evacuations, when people suddenly realized they had waited too long. And finally, they reveal the shock and sadness of returning to often uninsured homes and the struggle to repair them without the financial means to do so.
Floods like Harvey affect every nook and cranny of the community and local economy.
Entire Range of Human Emotions
Readers of this book will experience the entire range of the human emotions. Helplessness in the face of nature’s rage. Numbness in shelters. Kindness of strangers. Tears of loss. Rage at looters. Bewilderment when navigating the government bureaucracy. The struggle to return to normalcy. And more. Much more.
The book is not all seen through the eyes of flood victims. A narrative section for the statistically inclined puts Harvey in historical perspective. The storm dumped more rain on the continental US than any other storm in history. Including a whopping 4 feet on Houston, a metropolitan area of seven million people.
One of the untold stories of Harvey, until now, is how Houston, a sprawling metropolis of diverse interests, came together in one of its darkest moments.
Half the community needed help. And the other half gave it.
Parts of this book will make you smile. Parts will make you cry.
A Cautionary Tale for the World
If you read the book in one sitting, it feels like a time-lapse video, as if you’re reliving the whole Harvey experience in fast forward. It literally took me back to those terrible days in August and September of 2017.
You never forget an experience, such as Harvey. And you shouldn’t. Even if you want to. Harvey is a cautionary tale for the world about the need to prepare for flooding. Even if you think you live on high ground. Most of Harvey’s victims lived and worked outside of any recognized flood zone.
Recommended For…
I recommend this book to anyone who thinks s/he is immune to flooding. I also recommend it to Harvey victims who want to learn about others who shared their plight.
Many flood victims may also want to give the book to friends and family in other parts of the country. It will help them understand what it was really like to go through a major flood. And more importantly, what it takes to come out whole on the other side.
Ms. Havelka and Ms. Bullard have made a huge contribution to the understanding of America’s most common natural disaster – flooding.
By Jacqueline Havelka and Jill Bullard Almaguer PE/MBA/PMP
$5.99
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2020
989 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Note: I have known Jacque Havelka for many years and respect her contributions to the community. She is a talented writer/reporter. Even though I consulted with her when she was planning the book, I have no financial interest in it and will not profit from it.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IMG_0619.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=17681024adminadmin2020-05-14 13:03:022020-05-14 13:03:12Book Review: Houston After Harvey: Stories from Inside the Hurricane by Jacqueline Havelka and Jill Bullard Almaguer
As Heavy Rains Approach, Triple PG Wastewater Higher on Neighboring Properties Than In Its Settling Pond
Aerial photos taken on 5/11/2020 show wastewater on neighboring properties outside the Triple PG mine in Porter are higher than in the mine’s settling pond. If heavy rains materialize this weekend as predicted, that wastewater could be flushed downstream into the drinking water for 2 million people.
Mine Has History of Dumping and Pumping
Earlier this year, I photographed the mine pumping wastewater from its settling pond toward the neighboring properties. A TCEQ investigation confirmed that wastewater had exited the mine for the fourth time in a year. Investigators found that the wastewater had levels of suspended solids 676% higher than water from nearby White Oak Creek. But they also found that elevation differences had confined the wastewater and kept it from entering the wetlands near White Oak Creek.
Heavy Rains, Flash Flooding Could Flush Water Downstream
However, heavy rains predicted for later today and Saturday could change that. Jeff Lindner, Harris County Flood Control meteorologist says rainfall rates of 1-3 inches per hour will be possible and there is a slight (10-20%) risk of flash flooding, both days. Isolated totals could reach 6 inches on Saturday, he predicts.
How High Is Water On Neighboring Properties
So how high is the water outside the mine compared to inside?
In the photo below, note the two sets of arrows on either side of the road. The strip of trees under the upper right arrow does not belong to the mine. However, the land under the lower right arrow does belong to the mine. I included the second set of arrows because they are closer to the camera and that makes it easier to see the elevation difference in the water. Notice how much higher the water is on the right than on the left relative to the road.
On January 20, 2020, I photographed the mine pumping water out of its settling pond toward adjoining properties. See below. The pit above can be seen in the upper left of the photo below.
Why Mines Should Not Flaunt Rules
If approaching storms flush sediment- and chloride-laden wastewater downstream, it will end up in the San Jacinto East Fork and Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
This underscores the need for the state legislature to pass laws that move mines out of the floodway. The Triple PG mine actually sits at the confluence of two floodways. That makes it vulnerable and dangerous…especially when an operator apparently flaunts rules designed to protect the safety of the public.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/15/2020
990 Days after Hurricane Harvey and 239 since Imelda
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Perry Contractors Encroaching on Porter Drainage Ditch West of Woodridge Village
Aerial photos taken Monday this week (5/11/2020) show that Perry Homes’ contractors appear to be partially blocking drainage that serves dozens of homes on the western side of Woodridge Village in Porter. With heavy rain expected this weekend, residents like Gretchen Dunlap Smith are nervous.
Homes Flooded Twice Last Year by Water that Could Not Get Out of Neighborhood
Many of those homes flooded twice last year, in May and September, just as homes in Elm Grove did.
Water drains to the east (left) into the drainage ditch along the perimeter of Woodridge, and then south toward the top of the photo to Taylor Gully.
Heavy Rainfall Forecast for Saturday
After months of inactivity, it’s gratifying to see workers hustling again. But as the old saying goes, “Haste makes waste.” Forecasters are predicting widespread heavy rains this weekend. Predictions range from 2 to 4 inches, with pockets up to 6 inches.
Jeff Lindner, Harris County meteorologist said this afternoon, “Expect a line or complex of slow-moving thunderstorms to move across SE TX Saturday starting out west in the morning and spreading across the area throughout the day. There will be a low severe threat with this activity, but the main threat will be heavy rainfall.
That gives contractors one day, Friday, to clean out that ditch to avoid another possible flood and more possible lawsuits.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2020
989 Days since Hurricane Harvey and 238 since Imelda
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
Book Review: Houston After Harvey: Stories from Inside the Hurricane by Jacqueline Havelka and Jill Bullard Almaguer
Houston After Harvey: Stories from Inside the Hurricane is an encyclopedic, almost kaleidoscopic collection of interviews with flood victims about their Hurricane Harvey experiences. The new Amazon eBook by two Houston authors, Jacqueline Havelka and Jill Bullard Almaguer, has a “you are there” quality to it. The interviews fall into roughly three categories: before, during and after the storm.
Story of a Natural Disaster Told Through Victims’ Eyes
They recount the stories of people watching in terror as water crept inexorably toward their homes and businesses, praying it would not reach their front doors. They speak of the chaos of emergency evacuations, when people suddenly realized they had waited too long. And finally, they reveal the shock and sadness of returning to often uninsured homes and the struggle to repair them without the financial means to do so.
Floods like Harvey affect every nook and cranny of the community and local economy.
Entire Range of Human Emotions
Readers of this book will experience the entire range of the human emotions. Helplessness in the face of nature’s rage. Numbness in shelters. Kindness of strangers. Tears of loss. Rage at looters. Bewilderment when navigating the government bureaucracy. The struggle to return to normalcy. And more. Much more.
The book is not all seen through the eyes of flood victims. A narrative section for the statistically inclined puts Harvey in historical perspective. The storm dumped more rain on the continental US than any other storm in history. Including a whopping 4 feet on Houston, a metropolitan area of seven million people.
One of the untold stories of Harvey, until now, is how Houston, a sprawling metropolis of diverse interests, came together in one of its darkest moments.
Parts of this book will make you smile. Parts will make you cry.
A Cautionary Tale for the World
If you read the book in one sitting, it feels like a time-lapse video, as if you’re reliving the whole Harvey experience in fast forward. It literally took me back to those terrible days in August and September of 2017.
You never forget an experience, such as Harvey. And you shouldn’t. Even if you want to. Harvey is a cautionary tale for the world about the need to prepare for flooding. Even if you think you live on high ground. Most of Harvey’s victims lived and worked outside of any recognized flood zone.
Recommended For…
I recommend this book to anyone who thinks s/he is immune to flooding. I also recommend it to Harvey victims who want to learn about others who shared their plight.
Many flood victims may also want to give the book to friends and family in other parts of the country. It will help them understand what it was really like to go through a major flood. And more importantly, what it takes to come out whole on the other side.
Ms. Havelka and Ms. Bullard have made a huge contribution to the understanding of America’s most common natural disaster – flooding.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/14/2020
989 Days after Hurricane Harvey
Note: I have known Jacque Havelka for many years and respect her contributions to the community. She is a talented writer/reporter. Even though I consulted with her when she was planning the book, I have no financial interest in it and will not profit from it.